Swiveling banner-carrying apparatus

ABSTRACT

A banner-carrying apparatus which reduces the folding and winding up of the banner or flag about the banner-carrying pole by using a tubular sleeve coaxially, annularly and rotatively mounted about a flag pole shaft. Low friction bearing surfaces allow the sleeve to freely rotate unwinding, through the force of gravity, a flag which has been wound upon it. Specialized clamps provide adjustable and releasable securing of the flag to the sleeve.

PRIOR APPLICATION

This is a divisional of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/838,880filed May 1, 2004, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,168,389 issued Jan. 30, 2007.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to banner-carrying apparatuses and moreparticularly to flag poles for carrying flags.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The display of flags has grown in popularity, particularly with renewedpatriotism and the growing popularity of seasonal flags displayedoutside the home. Such flags are typically mounted upon the housewherein the flag pole is typically oriented between 30° and 90° anglefrom vertical. In this orientation the flag is subject to become woundupon, tangled and wrapped around the flag pole through even moderateswirling winds, reducing their display appeal. It is therefore desirableto provide a mechanism which avoids the wrapping and folding of suchbanners or flags.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The principal and secondary objects of the invention are to provide abanner-carrying apparatus in which the folding and winding up of thebanner about the flag-carrying pole is reduced or eliminated.

These and other valuable objects are achieved by a tubular sleeve sizedand shaped to fit annularly and rotatively about a flag pole shaft. Lowfriction bearing surfaces allow the sleeve to freely rotate unwinding,through the force of gravity, a flag which has been wound upon it.Specialized clamps provide adjustable and releasable securing of theflag to the sleeve.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic partial side perspective view of a flag poleaccording to the invention, carrying the flag mounted upon a wall of ahouse;

FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic cross-sectional top view of the snap clampfeature according to the invention;

FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic partial cross-sectional cutaway side view of aflag-carrying apparatus according to the invention;

FIG. 4 is a diagrammatic partial cross-sectional-side view showing analternate embodiment of the lower bearing of the flag-carrying apparatusaccording to the invention; and

FIG. 5 is a diagrammatic partial cross-sectional side view of a sleevedflag secured upon a flag-carrying apparatus according to the invention;

FIG. 6 is a diagrammatic partial side perspective view showing analternate embodiment of the sleeve portion of the pole adapted to have alongitudinal ribbed channel and toothed clamp engagement; and

FIG. 7 is a diagrammatic cross-sectional top view of the sleeve andclamp shown in FIG. 6.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

Referring now to the drawing, there is shown in FIGS. 1-3, a pliablebanner-carrying pole 1 which avoids tangling or wrapping of the banner 2about the pole. The apparatus is formed by an oblong substantially rigidcylindrical shaft or rod 3 having a central longitudinal axis 4 and hasa lower first end 5 adapted to mount in a holder 6 attached to a fixedstructure 7. The rod is mounted in an orientation wherein the angle Aformed between the axis 4 and vertical 8 is generally between 30° and90°. A substantially rigid body in the form of a substantiallycylindrical tubular hollow sleeve 10 formed from durable rigid materialsuch as polyvinylchloride plastic is rotatively and coaxially mountedupon the opposite end portion 11 of the rod. The sleeve is formed tohave an inner cavity bounded by the inner surface 12 of thesubstantially cylindrical sidewall 19 of the sleeve. The sidewall alsoforms an outer surface 13 of the sleeve. Substantially cylindrical openended steel snap clamps 14 snap over the outer surface 13 of the sleeveand remain in place due to friction, thereby releaseably engaging thesleeve and act as fasteners for securing the banner to the sleeve.Therefore, the inner diameter “d” of the clamp is selected to beslightly smaller than the diameter of the outer surface 13 of thesleeve. Each of the clamps are formed to have a generally U-shaped hoopportion 15 which penetrates mounting rings 16 correspondingly mountedalong the peripheral edge 17 of the banner 2 proximate to the pole. Theopening 18 of the clamp, therefore, is located on the oposite side ofthe sleeve from the peripheral edge 17.

The inner diameter of the sleeve 10 is substantially greater than theouter diameter of the rod 3. The sleeve 10 is rotatively mounted uponthe end 11 of the rod 3 by means of a pair of bearings 20, 21. A firsttop bearing 20 is formed by an end cap 22 having a substantially conicalinner surface 23 wherein the vertex of the conical inner surface forms apit 24 substantially in line with the axis 4 of the rod. The cap iscoaxially attached to the top end 25 of the sleeve. A bearing spike 26extends axially upward from the upper end 11 of the rod and engages thepit 24 at a tapered, sharp end point. This provides a low friction pointrotational top bearing 20. The spike is preferably made from steel orother durable material. The end cap is preferably made from steel orother durable material which over time will not be penetrated by thespike.

A second bearing 21 in the form of a nylon disk 30 is attached to theopposite bottom end 31 of the sleeve. The disk is substantiallywasher-shaped to have a substantially circular outer wall 32commensurate with the outer wall 10 of the sleeve and is bonded at ajoint 33 to the sleeve. A substantially cylindrical central hole 34 inthe disk-shaped bearing is sized to allow intimate passage and freemovement of the rod therein but to prevent all but minor pitch and yawmovement of the sleeve with respect to the rod.

In this way, the sleeve may rotate more than 360° in relation to thefixed pole.

Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 4, there is shown an alternate embodimentof the lower bearing for poles mounted at angles A close to and beyond90° from vertical. Such orientations can lead to the sleeve axiallyseparating away from the upper end of the rod. In this embodiment, aretaining ring 40 is mounted to the rod 41 and axially located proximateto the second bottom disk-shaped bearing 42.

The ring is made from durable, low-friction material such as nylon andprovides a low friction surface 43 for bearing against the inner surface44 of the second disk-shaped bearing 42. The second disk-shaped bearing42 is now formed to have an upper cylindrical prominence 45 having outercorrugations 46 for enhancing friction between the bearing and the innerwall 47 of the sleeve and thus, removably attach the second bearing tothe sleeve.

Referring now to FIG. 5, there is shown the pole configuration 50wherein a flag 51 made from a pliable sheet material such as nylonfabric and is formed to have an oblong pocket extending along the lengthof its peripheral edge adjacent to the pole. The pocket is slipped overthe outside of the sleeve 10 rotatively mounted upon the rod 3. For thistype of flag, the snap clamps 14 are used to snap over the flag from theopposite side to secure the flag to the sleeve. In this way, the opening18 of the clamp is located on the side of the sleeve adjacent to theflapping portion of the flag.

Referring now to FIGS. 6-7, there is shown an alternate embodiment ofthe pole 60 where the substantially rigid hollow and substantiallycylindrical sleeve 61 has a pair of oblong longitudinal channels 62, 63set into the outer surface 64 of the sleeve. Each channel is orientedsubstantially parallel to the axis of rotation 65 of the sleeve. Themost radially inward or bottom surface 66 of each channel is formed tohave a plurality of uniformly spaced apart humps 67 sized and shaped tointerlock with teeth 68 formed onto the radially, inwardly projectingjaw portions 70, 71, on each of the opposing arms 72, 73 of a snap-clamp75. In this way, each of the humps can act as an axially restrictiveprominence preventing axial movement of the clamp with respect to thesleeve. Because there are a plurality of uniformly spaced apart humps,the axial position of the clamps is adjustable to accommodate forexample flags having differently spaced apart mounting rings.

The clamp 75 also has a substantially U-shaped hoop 76 similar to theprevious embodiment. The clamp is preferably formed from a durable,resilient material such as steel. In a further adaptation, each of thejaws are formed into a broadened prong portion 77 to facilitate easyradial insertion of the clamp over the sleeve. The orientation of thisprong portion is selected to be formed at an angle B away from thedirectly radial direction 78 to further facilitate mounting over thesleeve. The prong can be further formed to have a convex surface 80 tofurther facilitate mounting over the sleeve.

While the preferred embodiments of the invention have been described,modifications can be made and other embodiments may be devised withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention.

1. A banner-carrying apparatus which comprises: an oblong rigid rodhaving a top extremity and a given outer diameter; a substantially rigidtubular sleeve defining a central cavity having a lower end and anopposite upper end; said sleeve being sized and shaped to coaxially androtatively mount over said rod; a cap closing said upper end, said caphaving an axial pit tapering to a closed vertex; a spike projectingaxially from said top extremity and having a tapered sharp end pointengaging said axial pit, thereby forming a low friction first bearing;and, a banner secured to said sleeve; whereby said spike engaging saidpit causes a self-centering of said rod within said sleeve, and wherebysaid banner is encouraged to defurl under the influence of gravity whensaid rod is oriented at a non-vertical angle.
 2. The apparatus of claim1, wherein said axial pit is substantially cone-shaped.
 3. The apparatusof claim 3, wherein said spike and said cap are each made from amaterial comprising steel.
 4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said rodis oriented at an angle which is non-vertical.
 5. The apparatus of claim1, which further comprises: said sleeve having an inner diametersubstantially greater than said outer diameter; a second bearingcomprising a cylindrical plug removably inserted into said lower end andhaving a central hole rotatively engaging said rod; and a retaining ringfixedly mounted on said rod within said sleeve proximate said secondbearing, whereby said ring restricts axial movement of said sleeve withrespect to said rod.
 6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein said rod isoriented at an angle greater than 90 degrees from vertical.
 7. Theapparatus of claim 1, wherein said apparatus further comprises at leastone snap-clamp sized and shaped to releasably engage said sleeve.
 8. Theapparatus of claim 1, which further comprises said banner being shapedto have an oblong pocket sized to slip over said sleeve.
 9. Theapparatus of claim 8, which further comprises said at least onesnap-clamp being further sized engage said sleeve over said banner. 10.The apparatus of claim 7, wherein said at least one snap-clamp comprisesa substantially U-shaped hoop portion.
 11. The apparatus of claim 10,wherein said banner comprises a mounting ring sized to be penetrated bysaid hoop portion of said at least one snap-clamp.
 12. The apparatus ofclaim 11, which further comprises said at least one snap-clamp beingfurther sized engage said sleeve over said banner, whereby said at leastone snap-clamp is capable of engaging either said mounting ring or asecond banner having a peripheral pocket.
 13. The apparatus of claim 7,wherein said sleeve is formed to have at least one axially restrictiveprominence formed onto an outer surface of said sleeve.
 14. Theapparatus of claim 13, wherein said prominence comprises: a variabledepth channel and wherein said at least one snap-clamp comprises a prongshaped to intimately engage said channel.
 15. The apparatus of claim 7,wherein said at least one snap-clamp comprises a toothed jaw sized toengage said sleeve.